Recent technological advances in low voltage light sources, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), now present low voltage light sources as suitable candidates as light sources. Low voltage light sources operate at a small fraction of the electrical power of conventionally used light sources and are an attractive option due to generally lower cost and higher efficiency than conventionally used light sources.
A specific use of an LED based light may be a small pin light emitting element assembly for spot illumination. These pin spot lights may be panel mounted for directing the illumination. In some proposed applications, the entire pin spot light assembly must be sufficiently small to fit in restricted spaces. Additionally, the light emitting assemblies must be accessible for repair or replacement. Conventional designs provide the latches outside of the lamp housing. This makes the overall size of the bezel used to mount the lamp assembly to the panel very large. The bulky external latch configurations make the assembly less pleasing aesthetically and also make it difficult to package the light emitting assemblies in extremely tight locations. The minimization of space occupied by these light emitting assemblies is often an issue with applications, such as automotive interior lighting.
What is needed is a light emitting element assembly and system that is capable of being mounted in areas having restricted space and also being capable of easy installation and disassembly for repair, replace and/or upgrade individual components of the assembly.